Durham Cathedral marks 20 years as a Harry Potter filming location

Simeon Pallisters, Visitor Experience Leader, and Aikito Ishikawa, a student volunteer, say the magic is still there 20 years on.

This week marks 20 years since the first Harry Potter film was released in cinemas. The film franchise went on to become an international sensation with millions of fans from around the world.

The series, inspired by the books of JK Rowling, starred Hollywood A-listers like Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson, and launched the careers of Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson - but it wasn't just the star studded cast that made the franchise so special.

Durham Cathedral became home to some of Hogwarts most iconic scenes, and to celebrate the anniversary, visitors to the historic site have been invited to share the magic.

Fans donned their wizarding robes and house colours to explore the cathedral and see some of the famous filming locations.As well as visiting the cloisters, which was featured in the first two film the cathedral also opened the Chapter House for the special occasion.

This historic room was used as a filming location for a Professor McGonagall’s memorable wizarding classroom scene.